For over 55 years, Queen of the Valley Medical Center has served the greater Napa Valley area as the region’s largest, most comprehensive health care facility. Our reputation for excellence, on par with well-known university hospitals, consistently attracts high caliber health care professionals. Backed by state-of-the-art facilities and leading edge technology, our outstanding medical team ensures Napa Valley residents the best care possible close to home.

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Queen of the Valley Medical Center has been serving Napa Valley residents since being founded in 1958. Our staff is highly trained and is of the highest caliber – led by award-winning physicians and nurses. We are backed by cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities, which when paired with our distinguished doctors, allows us to provide the best possible medical care close to home.

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Our range of advanced specialty services is comparable in quality and scope to those offered by university and urban-based hospitals, and our accreditation and outcomes ratings are as high as or higher than those of major Bay Area teaching hospitals.
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Queen of the Valley Foundation was established in 1969 by a group of local residents who wanted to ensure ongoing, locally managed support for quality medical care in our community. They knew that a financially healthy Medical Center was vital to the future of the place they called home.

Our long history of providing high quality and caring service is founded on four core values: Dignity, Service, Excellence and Justice. These four central principles inspire us to reach out to those in need and to help heal the whole person -- mind, body and spirit.

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Laparoscopy

Having Laparoscopic Hernia Repair: TAPP

A hernia is a bulge at a weak spot in the wall of the abdomen. Tissue or
organs may press into the weak spot. This may cause symptoms of discomfort
or pain. If left untreated, a hernia can get worse and may lead to serious
problems. Surgery can be done to repair a hernia.

What Is Laparoscopy?

Your repair surgery will be done with a technique called laparoscopy. For
this, a thin lighted tube called a laparoscope is used. The scope allows
the doctor to work through a few small incisions. This is instead of the
one larger incision that is made for open surgery. Recovery from laparoscopy
is often faster and less painful than from open surgery.

What Is TAPP?

TAPP is one way to do a hernia repair. It stands for "transabdominal
preperitoneal." The peritoneum is a membrane that covers the organs
in the abdomen. During TAPP, the peritoneum is opened to reach the hernia.

Preparing for Your Surgery

Schedule tests as you have been told. These make sure your heart and lungs
are healthy for surgery.

Tell your doctor about all medications you take. This includes herbs and
other supplements. You may need to stop taking some or all of them before surgery.

You will need to stop eating and drinking for a set amount of time before
the surgery. Follow all instructions you are given.

Ask your doctor for help in quitting smoking. This will help stop the hernia
from being strained by smoker's cough. It will also promote good blood
flow for healing.

Avoid heavy lifting. It can strain your hernia and make it worse.

Do not eat or drink for
8 hours before surgery. Your surgery may be canceled if you eat or drink.
If you have been told to take medication, take it with small sips of water.

Plan to have an adult family member or friend drive you home from the surgery.
Arrange for help with chores and errands while you recover.

During the Procedure

The surgery takes
1-2 hours. You can likely go home the same day. Before the surgery begins,
an IV line is put into a vein in your arm or hand. This line supplies
fluids and medications.

To keep you free of pain during the surgery, you'll be given anesthesia.
This may be general anesthesia. This medication puts you in a state like
deep sleep through the procedure. Or, you may be given regional anesthesia.
This numbs the abdomen and makes you relaxed and drowsy through the surgery.

The doctor makes 2 to 4 small incisions in the abdomen. The scope is put
through one of the incisions. The scope sends live pictures to a video
screen. This allows the doctor see inside the abdomen. Surgical tools
are placed through the other small incisions.

Your abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide. This gas provides space for
the doctor to see and work to repair the hernia.

After the repair, a patch of strong mesh is put over the weak spot in your
abdominal wall. The patch acts like a patch on a tire. It stays in place
permanently.

The gas is released from your abdomen. Your incisions are then closed with sutures.